Self-compassion is the practice of turning toward yourself in difficult times and offering yourself the same gentle kindness you would offer a dear friend. Many people confuse self-compassion with self-pity or self-esteem. In this segment of Afternoon Live, I talk about what self-compassion really is and how it differs from self-esteem. Below you’ll find a series of steps you can use to begin to cultivate your own practice of compassion toward yourself.
How to start practicing self-compassion:
Notice when a moment of self-criticism arises
Pause, take a deep breath
Acknowledge the human experience that you are having
Offer yourself the same kind response that you would offer a friend
Treat this as an experiment, there's no wrong way to be compassionate toward yourself!